Bought a SW1911SC 5" and a Colt Government XSE within several months of each other.
Surprised me when I found I enjoyed shooting the lighter Scandium-framed S&W model more than the Colt, and that it exhibited excellent accuracy and functioning. At first I thought it was just me, until I allowed another instructor to spend some time on the firing line with it. This fellow carries a Colt 1911 as an issued weapon and personally owns a Wilson CQB, so he appreciates a decently made 1911-type pistol.
He appeared a bit startled with the consistent accuracy of the SW1911SC in his hands, commenting on it very favorably ... and rather than give it back to me he started looking for more boxes of ammunition.
I was very skeptical of S&W trying to get into the 'production' market when it came to 1911-style pistols. Granted, their PC pistols have been very well done ... but producing 1911's as part of the regular factory commercial production line????
Surprised me that they did so well, so quickly. Probably surprised some other folks, too. Especially some other firearms manufacturers.
Well, they experienced a few minor teething pains along the way, but they appeared to identify and resolve them almost faster than I could learn of them. Invested quite a bit of money in their 1911 line, too. Their customer service and warranty (including free shipping both ways) is a standard within the industry nowdays.
I wasn't surprised that they successfully applied their experience with external pivoting extractors to their SW1911 models, either.
They may have been be a bit slow in coming to the table compared to some of the other major manufacturers ... and they may release a bewildering array of models, and then sometimes quickly discontinue the occasional model which doesn't sell as well as they desire (they're increasingly not alone in this regard, though) ... but once they get the ball rolling they seem to do it well.
While I told myself that 5 1911-style pistols was more than enough for my 'needs' after I picked up the SW1911SC 5" model, I may have been kidding myself. I just might have to add a SW1911PD 4 1/4" model to my collection sometime ...